Valcartier

Male caregivers are welcome in the Shedquarters

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

English-speaking men in the Quebec City region who are caregivers will soon have access to a new Wellness Centre program aimed at creating social connections and making the experience of being a caregiver less isolating.

The Shedquarters project is inspired by the pan-Canadian Men’s Shed movement, ex- plained project co-ordinator Elise Arsenault. Men’s sheds are autonomous community initiatives that provide a safe and friendly environment where men can work on meaningful projects at their own pace, in their own time, in the company of other men. Arsenault, a master’s student in social work at Université Laval, explained that women tend to be more at ease than men when it comes to discussing difficulties they face openly, whether with a professional or with a friend or family member. “We know there are male caregivers around who are not using existing support services. When men talk about what’s bothering them, they tend to do it shoulder to shoul- der, rather than face to face,” she explained.

Shedquarters intends to give participants the opportunity to do just that. Arsenault said she hoped participants would take ownership of the project, creating “a community of English-speaking male caregivers, by and for the participants.”

The project is open to English-speaking and bilingual men of all ages who are caregivers, the schedule is flexible and the definition of “caregiver” is not restrictive. “You could be caring for a spouse or family member, or helping out a friend or neighbour – it’s a very wide definition,” said Arsenault. Men from around the greater Quebec City, Valcartier and Lévis areas are welcome to join. Arsenault said the program has already had several expressions of interest, and activities were expected to begin later this fall.

If you would like more information about the Shedquarters program for English-speaking male caregivers, either for yourself or someone you know, contact Elise Arsenault directly by phone (418-928-8388) or email (elars18@ulaval.ca).